


He Doesn't Dance

by Dhampir (Dhampire)



Category: Gundam Wing
Genre: Angst and Romance, M/M, Yaoi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-29
Updated: 2020-08-31
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:09:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,411
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26170957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dhampire/pseuds/Dhampir
Summary: Duo knows his lover, Heero, is hiding something from him, but he's not sure how to confront him. (Kind of a song-fic. Started from hearing a song and will include said song eventually, but it's 3 chapters and the song doesn't show until the end).
Relationships: Duo Maxwell/Heero Yuy
Comments: 3
Kudos: 21





	1. Chapter One

The small bar was nothing more than a hole in the wall. It sat on a corner street with dark tinted windows and a small neon sign brightly flashing “Gary’s”. Duo Maxwell had paced up and down the sidewalk across the street for the past hour. His fingers fiddled with the end of his long braid as he contemplated going in or going home.

A place like this shouldn’t have meant anything to him and it’s certainly not a place he would’ve ever stepped foot in under any other circumstances, but he had watched from a distance as his lover, Heero Yuy, disappeared inside. Heero, who was supposed to be gone on a mission for the Preventer’s until tomorrow night and had told him he would be out of contact for 48 hours. And not only had he seen Heero go in, but he had gone inside with a tall red headed man.

It was pure luck on Duo’s part. He hadn’t felt like cooking and had gone out to see what place caught his interest. This place was a good hour’s walk from their apartment in a rougher area of the city and considering Duo didn’t have a car—he didn’t see the need—the chances of him coming to this area were pretty slim. Shit, Duo didn’t think he’d _ever_ been to this area in the five years he lived here.

The ex-Deathscythe pilot finally squared his shoulders and took a deep breath, it coming out a shuddering mass that belied his breaking heart even as he set his lips into a thin line. He crossed the street, flicking off a car that blew her horn at him, and then slowly and silently entered the bar. He stood in the dark alcove of the bar that had flyers and posters on the walls and peered through the blurry window of the second door. Even if the window had been clear, it was too dark inside to see well enough anyway from out there. Duo tucked his braid inside his jacket and pulled his cap further down over his face before deftly opening the door and slipping indoors unnoticed. He slinked along the wall as he waited for his eyes to adjust to not only the dim lit bar, but also to the thick smoke that hung in the air.

It really was just a small hole-in-the-wall average bar. The bar was up against the right wall with a good 15 stools and on the other side of the building were a few booths. The middle was left open for a dance floor and there was a small stage that looked like it hadn’t been used in years. A jukebox sat in the corner and the slow country song blared over speakers placed throughout the room.

He swept his eyes around the bar and found his lover sitting in a corner booth close together with that red head. Was this his mission? It had to be, thought Duo, because the other option was impossible. It was unmistakably Heero; no one else had eyes that Prussian blue and he could pick out the form of his lover even in such shitty conditions, but he didn’t _look_ like Heero.

Duo slid into the furthest corner seat at the bar, it allowed him to be able to look ahead and remain shrouded in darkness while also being able to watch Heero from the corner of his eye. Heero was talking animatedly, for him at least, with the red head and a genuine smile graced his lips. He couldn’t make out what they were saying, but he could read snippets from his lover’s lips.

_There we were….it seemed impossible…no one else but…then it was over and—“_  
  
“Hi there!” A voice said cheerfully and Duo startled as he looked up at the blonde man behind the bar. He had been concentrating on Heero so much he hadn’t even noticed the man approach him.   
“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you.” The blonde gave a throaty laugh and a genuine smile.

“That’s okay.” Duo answered, giving a small smile back. “Just lost in my own thoughts, I guess.”  
  
The blonde nodded, “That’s normal here. So, anything I can get ya?”

Duo glanced furtively over at Heero and audibly swallowed when he saw the two had moved closer and holding hands, “Y-yeah, a bottled beer, I don’t care what kind.” His voice came out husky and thick with emotion has he tried to keep tears at bay.

“You got it!” The bartender retreated for a moment, returning with a bottled beer and opening it front of Duo. Watching the chestnut man take the beer, he leaned forward against the bar and let his eyes rove over the new customer. In a bar like this, they usually just had the regulars and certainly none of them looked as delectable as this man. Well, except for the two in the corner, but they only ever had eyes for each other. “So…I’ve never seen you here before, are you new in town or just passing through?”

Duo took a sip of beer and shrugged, “Neither, just never been here before.”

“Well, my name’s Ryan,” the bartender said, his voice dropping an octave, “And I’m here every night if you need some company.”

He gave a strained smile, but shook his head, “Sorry, but I’m taken.”

Ryan sighed, “Man, all the cute ones are.”

“I could always use a friend though,” Duo said, extending his hand, “Duo Maxwell, at your service.”

The blonde shook his hand, but his green eyes widened in surprise, “Duo Maxwell? Y-you’re not by chance _the_ Duo Maxwell, the singer?”

Duo ducked his head and hissed, “Keep it down, will ya?”

“Sorry!” Ryan gulped, a blush rising to his cheeks. “I just…” his voice dropped to a low whisper, “I knew you looked familiar, but I _never_ thought _Duo Maxwell_ would be sitting at my bar!” 

“Well, surprise.” Duo said weakly.

“I saw you at your last concert 5 years ago. It was the best concert I had ever been to! I couldn’t believe it when you announced you were retiring…did you lose your voice?”

Duo nursed the beer in his hand, staring down at the bar. “No, my lover asked me to retire, so I did.” _More like demanded it,_ Duo thought. He had always enjoyed singing and after the war had ended, he began taking guitar lessons and using music as a way to process his emotions. His instructor had told him he was more than good and recommended him to a talent agent. Heero had shrugged when Duo said the agent signed him, not believing Duo would get far in the industry. But within a year, Duo was one of the top up and coming musicians with a huge underground following.

After the release of his first, and only, album, Duo had skyrocketed to fame and had a 7 country tour. Heero hadn’t liked it, not one bit. Duo was in front of thousands of people, singing every night and Heero couldn’t keep his jealousy under control. Heero remained out of the limelight, letting Duo attend any and all events alone—claiming it was because he was a Preventer and needed to keep his identity a secret. So, at the end of his tour, Heero demanded he stop singing because it was bringing too much attention to them and putting Duo is grave danger.

Duo had been crushed, but did it for his lover. What Heero said had made sense, if it came out that Heero and he were in a relationship, then Heero’s cover would be blown and he’d have to quit the Preventers or possibly go into Witness Protection. Their whole lives during the war were based on anonymity and Heero still relied on it. And so, two weeks after his last concert, he announced he was retiring and slowly faded into the background. That first year was the hardest because he practically remained inside the entire time as to avoid having pictures taken or being stalked by paparazzi.

That had been five years ago and now, he was almost forgotten. Every once in a while he’d see a trash magazine saying that he had been spotted in Fuji or Cairo or back on L2, but they were all old pictures and nothing but speculation.

“Damn, you really love him if you gave all that up.”

Duo nodded, staring at Heero who now had the red headed man wrapped in his arms while they shared a slow kiss. He felt his heart break right then and there, there’s no way this was a mission, was there? “I really do.”

Another patron had changed the song on the jukebox and Duo watched as the red head perked up, making a gesture to the dance floor. Shock and pain went through him as he watched Heero acquiesce and was dragged to the middle of the floor by the other man. He couldn’t even get Heero to dance with him in their apartment, let alone in public where other people could see them. Heero didn’t dance—ever. Not since the end of the war at least.

A strangled sob caught in his throat and Ryan laid a gentle hand on his shoulder, “Hey man, you okay?”

Duo straightened up, steeling his emotions so he wouldn’t start crying. “Sorry, it’s been a shitty day. Just learned my lover is cheating on me and I think it’s just now really sinking in.”

“Who would be stupid enough to cheat on you?” The blonde asked seriously. Duo Maxwell was sex on two legs and had been his first celebrity crush. The man was breathtakingly gorgeous with those deep violet eyes and a heart shaped face framed by chestnut bangs and red, kissable lips. Duo just shrugged his shoulders and hunched down, staring at his barely touched beer.

“Hey Ryan!” A patron called, causing the blonde to tear his eyes away from Duo.

“Hia Mark,” he called to the regular customer. He glanced at the chestnut haired man, “I’ll be right back, _please_ don’t leave!”

Left to his own thoughts, Duo stared furtively at Heero and the red head who were swaying together on the dance floor. There was no denying it was Heero, but at the same time, he just couldn’t believe it was his stoic lover. His hair had been gelled and styled so that those thick chocolate strands wouldn’t fall into his eyes and he wore a tight dress shirt that showed off his muscled physique. Duo had tried for years to get him to dress in something other than his Preventers uniform or tank tops, but had always been met with glares and biting remarks.

Duo let his eyes fall lower, following the contour of Heero’s body as he spun the redhead around the dance floor. That shirt was tucked into form fitting pants held together by a leather belt and he was even wearing leather shoes! Duo had never seen his lover dressed that way, and looking so sexy and carefree. Heero’s emotions were open and he freely smiled at his dance partner as they rocked together with barely any space between them.

“Can you believe it? Man, some guys just have all the luck, don’t they?” Ryan asked, appearing in front of Duo again.

The ex-pilot just nodded, not trusting his voice, but his eyes didn’t— _couldn’t—_ leave Heero as he watched the two share another slow, passionate kiss. A kiss that he thought only _he_ had ever been privy to, certainly a type of kiss he had never shared with anyone else.

“They’ve been coming here every week for over a year now. Always every Saturday night, but sometimes they’ll show up other nights too.” Ryan said conversationally, not realizing the anguish he was putting the lithe singer through.

_Over a year?_ Duo thought, not able to stop the tears this time from forming. He bit his lip, trying to stop them from falling and quickly rubbed them with his arm. “They really like this place, huh?”

Ryan shrugged, “Seems like it. We’re not very popular, so I think they like just having a place of their own. But it’s nice to see two people so in love, especially today’s world. It feels like there’s just pain... but seeing those two really helps me have faith even when I’ve been dumped again.”

Heero’s partner said something quiet, but Duo could tell it was something teasingly said as Heero let out a short laugh, pulling the redhead to him. Duo watched as the two left together, hands intertwined, without a single glance back. If Heero had, he would’ve seen his chestnut lover crumbling beneath the betrayal, but even more so at the sound of that laugh…a sound he tried to illicit for years without any luck. The most he ever got was a slight chortle and he could count on one hand how many times that had happen.

Duo waited another half hour, staring at the bar. Ryan had left him to tend to other patrons again, but he wasn’t much of a conversationalist tonight anyway. He slowly took some cash out of his pocket and laid it on the bar for the beer. He stood up, surprised at how tired and achy his body was, but the new knowledge he had acquired had completely drained him.

He started for the door when Ryan yelled for him to wait and slipped out from behind the bar. The blonde man was a head taller than him with a long gait and quickly caught up to the ex-pilot. “Hey, I know this is probably the worst time to ask this, but…” he paused, holding out a pen and paper, “Can I get your autograph Mr. Maxwell? I doubt you’ll ever come back here again.”

Duo gave him a sad smile, but took the items, “Sure, I’d love to.” He quickly scrawled his name on the paper and handed it back to the kind bartender. “And call me Duo.”

“Thanks!” Ryan beamed, but his excitement faltered as he looked at Duo’s crestfallen expression. “Hey man, he’s not worth it—that lover of yours. If he doesn’t know how lucky he is to have someone like you, then he’s not the one for you.”

“Thanks, but I don’t think I’ll ever find someone else to love like that.” He answered, wrapping his arms around himself and cursing his weakness as tears welled up again.

Ryan took a step towards the bar, but paused. “If you ever need anything or just someone to talk to you, I’m here almost every night and I’ll be a listening ear…or a bed warmer, if you need it.”

Duo cracked a smile, but his eyes slid over to the dark stage. “Actually…does your stage work?”

“What? Oh! Yeah, it hasn’t been used in probably a hundred years, but I know we’ve got the equipment in the back.” The blonde bartender said, “You want to sing? _Here?_ I’m sure I could find you a better venue than this dump!”

“No, I want to sing here. You can see it as a thank you,” Duo smiled at the blonde. “You really helped me out tonight.”

“Well then, hell yes!” Ryan practically yelled, thankfully Heero had already left. “You can sing as long as you want to and for as many nights as you want to. I can plaster it all over the web and really draw in a crowd.”

Duo shook his head, “No, don’t do that. I’m not coming back to the industry. I just want to sing one song, only one song, and only on one night.”

“I’ll take it! I’ll take anything you’ll give.” The blonde said, giving Duo a look that would’ve left him hot under the collar if he wasn’t currently trying to pick up the broken pieces of his heart.

Giving him a weak smile, “Next Saturday?”

“I’ll have it ready for sure!”

Duo nodded and headed for the door, pausing for a moment, “Oh, please keep the stage dark, I don’t want anyone seeing me.”

Ryan gave him a puzzled look, but nodded, “Sure, no problem, Duo.” He watched the lithe man pull his braid out from under his shirt and then slip out the door and into the night.

Duo made it home and unlocked the quiet apartment. Like he thought, Heero wasn’t home. The man stumbled into their room, collapsing on the bed and curling up with Heero’s pillow. It smelled like him and Duo could no longer hold back the tears, letting out a heartbreaking sob as he cried harder and longer than he ever had. Not even when Solo died had he felt this wretchedly broken.

Dhampir  
Page 4  
8/27/2020  
  
 **Note:** This will be a short 3 part story. It's something I've had in mind for _years_ but never had put it to paper. Not sure if this means I'll be _**back**_ as I had deleted all my stories once before, but this one wouldn't leave me and it's already finished. 


	2. Chapter 2

Duo opened his eyes, looking at the small clock on his nightstand. _Heero will be home soon,_ he thought, finally dragging himself from the bed. For the past 18 hours, he had barely moved from the bed except to pee. His body was drained and every time his eyes fell on something of Heero’s, the tears would come back full force.

He stumbled into the bathroom and turned the shower on. As he waited for the water to heat up, he looked into the mirror at his sunken in eyes that were red and puffy from crying. His skin was pallid and sickly looking and he knew he needed to pull himself together before his lover made it home. He wasn’t going to let Heero see just how much he’d broken. At least not yet.

He undid his hair, shaking out his chestnut locks that looked lackluster and dull, as if they too were grieving. He stripped his clothing off and, stepping into the shower, let the water roll down his body and wash away his tears. He needed to be strong, Heero hated weakness just as much as he hated it himself, but as he stood there, he could feel the tears coming back again.

A sob escaped his throat and he couldn’t stop his knees from buckling as he sat down on the shower floor. “ _Why?”_ He asked the air, taking in a gasping breath. “Why Heero?”

He sat there until he had no more tears to give; the water had long since turned cold and he finally turned it off. Shivering, he stepped out and wrapped a towel around himself and walked back into their bedroom. He quickly dressed and then sat to brush his long locks out. He didn’t feel like doing it, but knew if he didn’t; it would tangle too quickly and be a bitch to fix later.

~*~*~*~*~

He had just finished braiding it when he heard the quiet click of the lock and the door to their apartment opening. Duo took a deep breath and plastered a wide smile on his face. “Heero! You’re finally home!” He called, coming into the living room to see his stoic lover setting down his laptop on the desk before turning to hang his jacket up.

“Duo.” Heero said, giving a soft smile to the braided man. He crossed over and gathered the supple man into his arms, giving him a slow kiss. “I’ve missed you.”

Duo hugged him tightly, tighter than normal and buried his head into Heero’s chest. “Me too.” He said, his voice thick with emotion.

Heero frowned, “Koi?”

“I just missed you,” he answered, getting his emotions under control, “it’s been lonely here.”

Heero pulled him back, studying Duo carefully. Duo was still smiling, though his eyes did look a little puffy, but he figured his lithe lover must just be tired. His eyes raked over the form fitting black clothes Duo wore and those pouty, kissable lips that he couldn’t resist kissing again, harder this time.

Duo responded, wrapping his arms around Heero’s neck and deepening the kiss, banishing all thought to the back of his mind. Heero loved _him_ ; he had to have been wrong about it all. He felt Heero’s hands snake down his back and slide under his ass, squeezing it momentarily.

Gathering the chestnut man into his arms, Heero headed towards the bedroom with a wicked gleam in his eyes. “How about you show me how much you’ve missed me?”

Their lovemaking was quick and frantic; Duo clung to Heero like his life depended on it, which in Duo’s mind it did. He cried out in pleasure and anguish as Heero thrust deeper into him, his legs wrapped tightly around the tanned man’s waist.

Heero wrapped his hand around Duo’s braid, using it to anchor himself to something tangible as he bit and nipped at Duo’s neck.

“Oh God, Heero, yes!” Duo cried, his nails biting into Heero’s back as a hand encircled his engorged member and began pumping it with heated strokes. He became lost in the ecstasy as he felt Heero’s thrusts falter, they became quicker and rougher as Duo’s muscles clamped down around his cock.

Heero bit Duo’s neck as he came deep inside his lover, the man’s frantic thrusts suddenly stopping as he arched his back and came between their bodies.

Duo looked up and kissed Heero softly. “I love you.” He said with a smile.

Heero cupped the side of Duo’s face before brushing sweaty bangs out of those violet eyes, “I love you too.” After a few minutes, Heero pulled back, causing a small whimper to escape Duo’s lips and slid out of bed. He looked over at his lover looking thoroughly worn out and smirked at his handy work. “I’ll be right back,” he called as he headed for the bathroom.

By the time he returned, Duo was already asleep with a small smile on his lips. Climbing into bed, he pulled the smaller man to his side and finally fell asleep.

~*~*~*~*~

The next day went like normal for them. Heero had to work on his report to turn in for his last mission and Duo set to his normal cleaning routine. He was currently dressed in boxers and a loose shirt while he swept the kitchen and hallway.

Music played through his ear buds as he swayed his hips to the beat, singing along quietly and feeling much happier than he had yesterday. His lover _definitely_ couldn’t be cheating on him, that redhead must’ve been a contact and they went to that seedy bar so they could be discreet.

_But Heero had kissed him..._ _No!_ Duo shook his head; he wasn’t going to go there. _It’s a cover_ , he thought, looking over his shoulder at the man who was concentrating on the laptop in front of him. Heero loves him.

“Heero, want to grab lunch?” Duo asked, hips continuing to sway as he approached him.

“Hn.” He didn’t even look up or waver in his typing.

Duo rolled his eyes, “Hey, Heero! I need more of an answer than a grunt.”

Prussian met indigo just briefly, but Heero was soon staring at his screen again. “No, I need to get this done.”

“ _Heero..._ ” he almost whined, “you have five days to finish the report and I haven’t seen you in six! And I haven’t had anything to eat since lunch yesterday.”

Heero raised an eyebrow at that, “You haven’t eaten since lunch yesterday? That’s not like you.”

_Actually haven’t eaten since lunch two days ago,_ Duo said silently in his head. “Yeah, just too excited about seeing you.” He said loudly, laughing.

Heero’s eyes narrowed as he assessed his lover slowly. He seemed fine, but Duo has never been known to skip a meal unless absolutely necessary. Even during the war, he made time to eat and hadn’t missed a meal since the war ended.

Duo gave him his famous Cheshire grin and did a little twirl, “Like what you see?” He asked, winking at the man.

Yup, Duo was fine. Heero smiled slightly, but gave a heavy sigh, “You know I do, but I can’t get lunch. You know I turn my reports in within 3 days, but I have to get this done immediately. I have to leave on another mission tomorrow night. It’ll be short though, I’ll be back Sunday morning.”

The broom fell out of Duo’s hands, shocking them both, “You have to leave again, already?”

“Duo?” Heero stood and crossed the floor to the ex-pilot, taking the lithe man into his arms. “Are you sure you’re feeling okay?”

“I just...you’ve been gone so much lately,” Duo mumbled into his chest, “I think you’ve been home 15 days in the last 4 months.”

Heero winced and a denial was on his lips, but realized Duo was right once he calculated it in his head. “Let’s go get lunch.” Heero said quietly, kissing the smaller man on the forehead. He gave him one last look over before leaving Duo to stand alone in the living room.

Heero kept watching his lover while Duo didn’t notice, something was definitely wrong, but he didn’t know what. Sure, it was a surprise to only be home for a day and a half, but it hadn’t been the first time that’s happened, hell not even the fifth time and he had never reacted like that before. And despite saying he was famished; he nibbled his food throughout lunch while vaguely listening to Heero telling him about his upcoming assignment. Even by dinner, Duo only ate half the leftovers and was oddly quiet. Even more, Duo kept chewing on the end of his braid absentmindedly, something he only did when he was troubled by something.

~*~*~*~*~

That night they made love again, though this time leisurely. Heero had slowly undressed him, kissing every inch of skin as he did so, before carefully unbraiding Duo’s hair so it could fan out behind him on the bed. He kept it up until Duo was quivering from head to toe with need before finally pushing inside and taking him completely. Duo’s cries made it difficult for Heero to control himself, but he was determined to make it last, knowing he wouldn’t see the lithe man for a few days.

Heero stared at the sleeping man; he looked so innocent and peaceful in his sleep. No one would ever think that he was responsible for the deaths of thousands or that his life was loss after loss of loved ones. He shouldered those burdens well and always with a smile, something Heero envied of him. With one last kiss, he finally turned away to sleep.

A few minutes later, Duo slowly opened his eyes. Feigning sleep was easy, something he had learned to do as a kid. People’s tongues were looser when they thought no one was awake to listen. He couldn’t sleep after their lovemaking tonight because it felt like this was the last time. Did Heero feel that way too?

Quietly, he slid out of the bed and padded silently to the living room. Heero’s laptop was still open to where he left it and Duo’s fingers itches to snoop, but he knew Heero would never put anything personal on a work computer. But it wasn’t personal, right? If it _was_ work related, then the red head would be listed in there somewhere.

Shaking his head, Duo growled at himself and went to the kitchen. He just needed to clear his head and get a good night’s sleep, that’s all. He made some tea and took his time drinking it, but all he did was go round and round with the same thoughts. Finally giving up, he dumped the cold tea down the drain and returned to their room, pausing at the door to stare at his lover.

Thick chocolate locks lay messy and untamed against the white pillow. Long eyelashes that most girls would kill for that covered the most beautiful blue eyes he’d ever seen. Where Duo’s face was more soft curves, Heero’s was hard angles that left him with a chiseled jaw and angular nose. Strong shoulder and defined biceps showed his strength as did that toned body and six pack abs. The sheets pooled around Heero’s waist delicately and in the moonlight, he looked like chiseled stone with one hand tucked beneath his head and the other lying at his side.

Duo carefully slid into bed, but the dip caused Heero to roll over half asleep into him. “Hmm, koi,” he murmured, pulling Duo’s back to his chest. He laughed softly and snuggled closer feeling safe and content in the stronger man’s arms. “Ai shiteru, Jason.” Heero added, kissing the top of Duo’s head.

Duo felt his heart stop, ice encasing it as he processed the words. _Jason_? There was no way that he could misconstrue Duo for Jason. And there was only one fucking person _fucking Jason_ could be. And Heero said he loved him. _Oh God, I can’t breathe_. A sob caught in his throat and he forcefully pushed away from Heero, falling to the ground in a mess of limbs and hair.

Heero was awake instantly, rolling from the bed and grabbing his gun off the nightstand. But as he did a sweep of the room for the enemy, all he found was Duo on the ground staring at him as if he were horrified by him. Lowering the gun, Heero stared quizzically at his lover, “Duo?”

“I think I’m gonna be sick.” Duo said before running to the bathroom and throwing up what meager food he had eaten.

Heero was behind him in an instant, gathering up his hair to get out of the way. “Koi? Are you okay?”

“Does it look like I’m okay?” Duo snapped before turning to dry heave into the toilet. _Oh God, it’s true, it’s all true._

“Maybe it’s the food you ate?” Heero asked, reaching to lovingly rub Duo’s shoulders.

“Don’t touch me,” he practically snarled, shrugging Heero’s hand off.

“What can I do?” Heero asked quietly, bristling at Duo’s attitude. His dark haired lover yearned for touch and had never turned him away before, not even when he was sick.

The silence stretched for minutes until he finally whispered, “Just...get out.”

Heero’s eyes widened in shock, “What? What do you mean ‘get out’?”

Violet eyes glared at him between chestnut strands, “I mean...” Duo stopped, sighing deeply and then deflating. “I mean I don’t want you to touch me so you don’t get sick too.”

“I don’t care about getting sick, Duo,” the ex-pilot responded before reaching down and pulling Duo up. “Come on, I’ll help you get cleaned up.”

Duo pulled his hands away, “No, I’ve got it. Why don’t you take the couch?” Then he walked away and sat down at the edge of the bed to braid his hair, his hands trembling.

Heero stared at his lover, consternation on his face as he tried to understand what was going through Duo’s mind. He wanted to comfort him, he wanted to brush those long strands and braid it for him, but instead all he could do was watch as Duo finished braiding his hair and then slipped into the bed.

He then turned and cleaned the toilet bowl and mopped the floor to make sure any vomit was cleaned up. Heero waited until the long haired man was asleep before approaching him softly. He pushed aside chestnut bangs to feel his forehead, no fever, but his skin was clammy and his coloring was ashen. Yet even at the slight touch, Duo had flinched and turned away from him.

He hesitated at the edge of the bed, wondering if he should stay or do as Duo asked. He wanted to slip in next to the braided man and pull Duo to him, but instead he pulled the sheet up to tuck Duo in before eventually leaving the room to take up residence on the couch. As he pulled out the extra sheets and pillow from the linen closet, he paused at what he thought were muffled sobs, but that couldn’t be right, why would Duo be crying?

Deciding it was one of the neighbors; he padded out to the couch and promptly fell asleep.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The next morning, Heero was up early and finishing his report, but he kept an eye on their bedroom door for Duo. Maybe he should cancel his next mission? Maybe he should cancel…everything?

Duo lay on the bed that smelled of Heero and sex and stared at the ceiling. He was all out of tears, even as he lay there and silently weep, there were no more tears. Heero loved someone else. Heero was with someone else, but then why didn’t he just leave and go be with _Jason_?

The door cracked open and Heero looked in, “Duo?” he called, his eyes adjusting to the dark room. At some point Duo had gotten up and closed all the curtains so that not a single beam of sunlight would filter through. “Are you feeling better?”

“No.” Duo croaked, his throat constricting as he tried to get his emotions under control. “But I’ll be fine Heero, don’t worry about me.”

Heero came in the room, “Of course I’m worried.”

“ _Why?”_ Came the bitter reply and Heero paused in surprise. He watched as Duo slowly sat up, the man’s eyes red and bloodshot, those violet eyes lackluster and dead. His deliciously tantalizing braid slowly slipped down his shoulder to dangle in between his naked thighs. Had it been any other time, Heero would’ve found himself hard at the sight of his lover naked on their bed surrounded by crumpled sheets and smelling of sex, but beneath that smell was also one of vomit and sickness.

“Why wouldn’t I be worried about my boyfriend?” Heero finally asked. “I’ll get your some water.”

 _What the hell is wrong with that idiot?_ Heero thought as he brought in a glass of water, some aspirin—the only medicine Duo could tolerate—and a bowl of warm water and a cloth. He set the items down on the nightstand next to Duo and silently handed the braided man the aspirin and water. He watched Duo take them, not even questioning what it was, and then he dipped the cloth into the warm water and gently touched Duo’s face with it.

Duo flinched slightly, but didn’t move away. His heart broke into smaller pieces with every tender touch Heero did. The stoic man sat and carefully cleaned sweat and grime from his face and neck, contemplating Duo’s every move. There was something seriously wrong with his braided lover, but Heero found himself afraid to ask. He began to move the cloth down to Duo’s chest, but a hand stopped him. “Please don’t,” he whispered, “I…I’m afraid I’ll vomit again.”

Silently, Heero removed his hand and dropped the cloth into the bowl. He stood up and collected everything except the glass of water in case Duo was thirsty again. “I’m sure I have sick time, if you’re this sick, I can call and cancel my next mission.”

The ex-Deathscythe pilot stared at Heero, wanting to scream _YES_ at the top of his lungs, but that would only draw out the inevitable and he wasn’t sure he could go through all of this again. “No, it’s fine…” Duo gave him a small smile, “I’m sure it’s just food poisoning, no need to cancel things on my behalf. Plus, you leave tonight, so there’s no way they’ll find a replacement in time.”

“Duo…” Heero started, “Are you—” He stopped again, sighing and then leaving the room. He placed the items in the sink and tried to decipher whether or not he should go back in there or just give Duo some space. Deciding on the latter, he went back to his computer to finish his report, but found it difficult as his eyes kept wandering to the ajar door of their darkened room.

As if reading his thoughts, Duo suddenly appeared at the door wrapped in a blanket. Heero watched intensely as he dragged himself over to the couch and sat down in the farthest seat from him. “Mind if I watch some TV?” He asked, his voice rough and haggard. He steadfastly refused to look at Heero; afraid he’d start crying again if he met those striking eyes.

“Hn.”

Duo turned on the TV and curled up like a cat as he watched. Even though he was closer to Heero now, at least the television could give him something mindless to focus on. He was well aware of how closely Heero was watching him, even as he typed up his report, but he found an old movie and watched it without actually watching it.

“Heero…?” He said timidly, not looking at the stoic man. “You’d never lie to me, right? I mean, I know ya can’t tell me about your work, but you’d never lie to me.”

Heero was silent for a long time, the keyboard clicking as he typed without a single falter. “No, I’d never lie to you if I could help it.”

A sardonic smile appeared on his lips. “Not if you can help it. Are you hiding anything from me, Heero? I’d rather know than be kept in the dark, ya’know.”

This time the typing faltered, but only for a moment. Heero stared at the braided man, watching as his eyelids drooped and his head dropped to his chest while the old movie droned on in the background. Pushing back from the desk, he padded over to Duo and tucked the blanket around him, dipping down to place a soft kiss on his lips. “I know.”

Dhampir  
Pg 8  
8/29/20


	3. Chapter Three

**Disclaimer:** I do not own _Gundam Wing_ or any of the characters

**He Doesn't Dance  
** _Chapter Three_

When Duo awoke later, it was already past 9pm and he found Heero gone. There was a note on the coffee table for him, letting him know Heero had to leave and didn't want to wake him. He had felt a kiss on his temple, but had thought it was just a dream, apparently though it hadn't been. Duo held the note, rereading it again and again. _Aishiteru, Duo_ Heero had at the bottom.

But those words caused him more pain, not less. Crinkling the note to his chest, he couldn't help but compare his lover to the man he saw in that bar—the differences were so stark that it could've been Heero's twin in the bar, looking exactly like him and yet acting so different.

At some point, Duo fell asleep again and didn't wake until the late morning. He had showered, dressed and even forced himself to eat some toast, though it tasted like ash in his mouth and felt like lead in his stomach. He grabbed a note pad and poured all of his emotions—love, anguish, heartache, anger, tenderness—into his writing. He spent the next few hours piecing it together until he was spent, drained from the emotional roller coaster of the last few days.

Crossing into the living room, he looked once more at the crumpled note lying on the coffee table and read it again. Heero had written he'd see him Sunday morning and that he'd be on total radio silence from Friday until his mission ended. Biting his bottom lip, he thought back to the bartender who told him that Heero and the redhead, _Jason_ , were there every Saturday night. Duo had never really thought about when Heero's missions were since he stayed home anyway and the days Heero was home didn't matter like most people who had a 9 to 5 job, but thinking over at least the last few months… Heero was _never_ home on a Saturday. Almost all his missions extended through the weekend.

Duo suddenly tasted blood in his mouth and hissed as pain registered from his lip. He had bit it so hard he drew blood. He wiped it away with his sleeve and then, before he lost his nerve, picked up the phone and made a call.

"This is SA Chang." A clipped voice said over the phone, it had barely rang once before the ex-pilot had answered.

"Wu-man! How are you?" Duo said as happily as possible, even forcing a smile to make it more genuine.

"Maxwell," Wufei responded, his voice softening slightly with affection, "I'm doing well and yourself?"

"Same old, same old," _just having my heart ripped out by your best friend_ , "I was calling because Hee-chan just left for some mission and I can't remember when he'll be back, I was hoping you would know."

"I thought you were a Gundam Pilot, aren't you supposed to have an eidetic memory?"

"He told me when I was half-asleep and we're retired now, I don't _have_ to remember everything. Come on 'Fei, just help me out?"

The Chinese man sighed, but Duo could hear the clicking of the keyboard as he looked up the information for him. "He's due to return Friday evening."

" _Friday?_ " He choked, "Are you sure about that?"

"I'm staring right at it, Duo. He left this morning and is to return Friday evening."

"T-this morning…?"

"Maxwell?" Wufei asked, a hint of worry filtering through, "Are you okay? You don't sound like yourself. Come to think of it, Heero did mention you had food poisoning, but that you were recovering."

Shaking his head to clear the daze, Duo mirthlessly laughed as tears began to trail down his face, _I guess I still do have some tears left_. "Yeah, I'm okay, I'm just a little under the weather still and getting my days mixed up. Thanks man, I appreciate you looking into this. Can you…Don't tell Heero, neh? I want to surprise him, okay?"

"Of course, not a word to him."

"Thanks man, I'll catch up with you later, promise."

* * *

That Saturday, Duo found himself slinking into the shadows of the little dive of a bar once again. A few more people were here than last time, probably because it was a weekend, but still not a large turnout. He didn't mind though, he only needed one person here for this performance and he spotted said person sitting in a corner booth with the same redhead as before.

They were talking quietly amongst themselves, cuddled against each other and oblivious to everything around them. Duo stood there for a moment, reading Heero's lips as his lover recanted a story with more passion than Duo had ever seen from him.

" _It was an amazing mission. Nothing too difficult, but we had to canvas a hundred acres of woodland looking for this little girl. The tracking dogs were phenomenal animals and while it still took 2 days, we found her."_

Duo had never heard that story, so it must have been the one he just went on. Watching his lover animatedly—at least for Heero—talk about the mission made his heart ache. When talking to him, it was like pulling teeth to just find out the basics of the mission, let alone what he thought about the tracking dogs. Add to it that saving a little girl was obviously an unplanned mission, which meant Heero had lied about that too and Duo felt the tears forming again. He quickly turned away and slunk to the corner near the small stage, wiping away stray tears as he hardened himself against his emotions.

"You're really here! I wasn't sure if you'd actually come back." The blonde bartender said, smiling brightly at Duo. "Can I get you a drink?"

"I'll take a beer, same as last time." He responded, setting his guitar case down gently. Some habits were hard to leave behind and never accepting a drink that could've been poisoned was still a reflex. "Do you mind if we get started? I'm not feeling too well suddenly."

"Of course!" Ryan said, opening and handing him his beer. "I made sure to keep the stage dark, so if you want to go on up there and get ready, you should find the microphone already set up."

Nodding, Duo took a swig of his drink before gently taking his guitar out. It had been too long since he'd taken the sleek black guitar out and it showed as he gently plucked the strings, the sour notes causing him to grimace. Slowly tuning it, he watched out of the corner of his eye as the blonde man approached the darkened stage.

"Uh…excuse me, but we have a special treat tonight. A live performance!" The bartender said nervously, a quivering smile on his lips as he shifted beneath the curious looks of the patrons. "A-actually, two, so umm…yeah."

Duo couldn't keep the small smile that flitted to his lips as the bartender shook his head in embarrassment and ran his hand through his hair. "Good job." He quipped to the blonde haired man.

"Of being a blubbering idiot, you mean? Thanks."

"So, who else is singing?"

Ryan shrugged, "I've never heard her, but when I told the boss that you'd be singing, he insisted we have someone else too and make it a night of singing. She'll be singing three songs I believe, but you're up first for however long you want—"

"I'm only singing one."

"Can't say I'm not disappointed," he sighed, his shoulders deflating briefly, "but I'm happy to just have the chance to hear you sing live. It's so rare."

Smiling briefly, Duo took his guitar and slipped onto the stage, his eyes trained on Heero as the man curiously looked at the shadowy stage. Settling onto the barstool set before the microphone, Duo set his guitar on one knee and gently strummed the beginning chords of his newest song.

_He was in the middle of an empty dance floor  
_ _Wrapped up in a tall stranger's arms  
_ _They didn't see me slip in through the shadows  
_ _And sit down at the end of the bar  
_ _He was kissin' him all over  
_ _The way he ne'er kissed me  
_ _I knew it was him in a heartbeat  
_ _But I knew it couldn't be_

He almost faltered as the red haired man bumped Heero's hip and made a gesture to dance. The Asian man assented and the two slowly made their way to the dance floor, Duo's throat closing with choked tears as he fought for control over his emotions. His fingers drew out the chords for a beat more so he could get enough control to continue singing.

_Cause he doesn't dance  
_ _He doesn't like dark, smoky places  
_ _He doesn't own any fancy leather shoes  
_ _Or tight, sexy dress shirts  
_ _His hair would be messed  
_ _The way that I love  
_ _Never so styled and crazy  
_ _Believe me, I know my baby  
_ _And he doesn't dance_

His voice was turning husky, straining slightly from trying to keep his emotions at bay as he sung this song, watching the two he was singing about dancing just a few feet away from him. He could see the concentration in Heero's brow, like something wasn't clicking in place and Duo could tell it was bothering him.

_The bartender said can you believe it  
_ _Man, some guys just have all the luck  
_ _But in a cold old world so full of pain and heartache  
_ _It's good to see somebody so in love  
  
_

Ryan looked up, shock upon his face as he became aware of how similar this song was to their conversation the week prior. His gaze flitted from the shadowed man to the two men dancing and comprehension suddenly dawned upon his face. Now he understood why Duo had kept staring at them, it wasn't because of envy; it was because _that's_ how he had learned his lover was cheating on him.  
  


_When they walked out together  
_ _I just sat there all alone  
_ _I thought God, I hate that man  
_ _But I love the one at home  
_ _  
  
Cause he doesn't dance  
_ _He doesn't like dark, smoky places  
_ _He doesn't own any fancy leather shoes  
_ _Or tight, sexy dress shirts  
_ _His hair would be messed  
_ _The way that I love  
_ _Never so styled and crazy  
_ _Believe me, I know my baby  
_ _And he doesn't dance_

Heero suddenly stopped dancing, tearing away from the red head and staring in shock at the stage. His blue eyes were wide in astonishment as he finally placed why the singer sounded so familiar, he had forgotten just how beautifully Duo could sing since it had been almost 5 years since he quit. Jason grabbed his shoulder in confusion, but Heero shook it off and took a step towards the stage.

_  
It's like a bad movie  
_ _That's lasted too long  
_ _It's all about him  
_ _But it has to be wrong_

"Heero? What's wrong?" Jason asked, grabbing his hand and trying to pull his lover back.

"Iie!" He said, roughly ripping his hand out of the red head's grasp. It wasn't possible, Heero told himself, Duo had promised to stop singing and he had—totally and completely, at least around him. Yet it was unmistakable, that was Duo up there singing, and if he was singing here it meant he knew about Jason. The song was about _them._

_Cause he doesn't dance  
_ _He doesn't like dark, smoky places  
_ _He doesn't own any fancy leather shoes  
_ _Or tight, sexy dress shirts  
_ _His hair would be messed  
_ _The way that I love  
_ _Never so styled and crazy  
_ _Believe me, I know my baby  
_ _And he doesn't dance_

_Believe me, he doesn't dance._

Loud clapping filled the room as the last chords ended, shaking Duo out of his reverie as he stared at the group of people who were standing and cheering for him. If it had been any other time, he would've smiled and thanked them, instead, his eyes went back to the Asian man now standing just a foot away. He held his breath as Heero came closer, his eyes peering into the darkness, "Duo?"

"Goodbye." He whispered and grabbing his guitar, he darted off the stage and out the back door. He was halfway down the back alleyway when he heard the back door slam open and footsteps thunder behind him.

"Duo!" Heero yelled, slowly gaining on the waif of a man. "Stop, just wait!" He saw that chestnut head vigorously shake, but already his steps were slowing. He couldn't run well with the guitar and they both knew Heero could easily catch up to him in this state.

"What do you want, Heero?" He asked, his back taunt as he listened to the other man's steps come to a stop behind him.

"Just…to talk."

Duo snorted, "You, talk?"

"I don't have an excuse, koi—"

"Don't call me that." He snarled, turning around to finally face him. He knew there were un-ushered tears in his eyes and he knew it was a sign of weakness to Heero, but he couldn't stop them. "You have no right to call me that."

Heero's shoulders sagged, "You don't understand."

"Don't understand? What exactly don't I understand, _Yuy_? You're cheating on me and, according to the bartender; it's been for at least a _year!_ You've been lying to me for I don't know how long, but even last week when you knew something was wrong you _lied to me_. Wufei told me your mission was a Wednesday thru Friday gig, but you told me you wouldn't be back until Sunday morning and needed radio silence from Friday to Sunday!" Duo shook his head, his hands gripping the guitar neck tightly to keep himself from punching the man before him. "You've been _using_ me."

"Iie! I haven't been using you." Heero said vehemently, "I swear I haven't. Yes, I've been lying to you and I've been cheating on you, but I've never used you Duo, I love you."

"Then why are you with _him?_ And don't tell me it's some kind of mission, you told me you stopped taking long term missions and he knows you're an SA, I saw you telling him about your latest mission. And don't think I've missed the fact that you stopped taking the long term missions when you started seeing him. Jason, right?"

Blue eyes widened with shock, "How…?"

"You talk in your sleep sometimes and one night you called me Jason." Duo shrugged, looking away as he fiddled with the guitar strings.

Heero was silent for a long time, just staring at the lithe man before him, taking in his pallid face and crumpled dark clothing. His hair, his pride and joy, was slightly greasy, something Duo never allowed to happen before. Those violet eyes he loved so much were lackluster and guarded as he shot him furtive looks while awaiting his answer. "He doesn't know me."

Violet eyes narrowed, "What the hell does that mean?"

"He doesn't know _me_." Heero repeated, running a hand through his hair and ruining the styled locks. "He doesn't know about my past, about J and the experiments, he doesn't know what the scars mean, the psychosis that lurks beneath the surface if I let go of my control, he doesn't know me inside and out like you do Duo. I can…forget with him, I can just be who I would've been if it hadn't been for the wars with him."

"If that's you in there…then who are you with me?"

"Gundam Pilot 01." Heero immediately answered, his tone already becoming more clipped than it was earlier. Duo could see the slight hardening in his eyes that was normal for him, even after all this time, Heero was guarded with everything around him and everyone, except Jason that is.

Duo's shoulders slumped, "So the man I love doesn't exist then. He's just a façade."

Heero wasn't sure how to answer. It wasn't just a façade, but he felt like he was two different people in one body. Heero Yuy, Gundam Pilot, couldn't trust anyone even his own lover who knew him in ways no one else ever would; and Heero Yuy, Agent, who could relax and laugh and forget. Whenever he looked at Duo, everything about the war was right there because those eyes reflected back the type of wisdom only those who knew war had. "Iie…" he finally said, shrugging uncomfortably.

Duo felt the tears beginning to build, but he pressed his lips into a thin line and refused to let them fall. Straightening his back, he faced his lover and took a quivering breath. "I gave up my life to be with you. You told me to quit singing, that I was becoming too popular and too much of a target, so I did. You told me you could support us both and didn't want me to work, so I stayed home. For the past five _fucking_ years I've lived my life for you and only you, but you're still living your life for yourself." He shook his head, his chest burning as his heart cracked. He turned and took one last glance at his now ex over his shoulder. "Well, I'm done living this way. Go back to Jason, Heero, because you're not coming back to me."

"Duo!" Heero called out, reaching for the lithe ex-pilot. His fingers barely touched Duo's shoulder before he found himself staring at the barrel of a black Glock. Duo's eyes were narrowed slits, glinting in the lamplight, but the anger and hurt that burned there stopped any pleas Heero might have said. His hands dropped to his sides and he silently watched as Duo tucked the gun back into the waistband of his pants and slipped away, disappearing into the shadows.

Dhampir  
Page 7  
8/30/20

* * *

**Note:** And that's it! I'm hoping I did my original justice as I had this written in two parts and then lost the first part. I had the second part (which was most of this chapter), but totally lost the first.

This whole thing came from the song _**She Doesn't Dance**_ by Mark McGuinn _,_ which is about a husband who finds out his wife is cheating on him and how he loves the wife he knows and sees at home.


End file.
